A broken or slipped condom is the most common way a condom fails, and the reasons are
almost always mechanical: a nail, stubble, the wrong lubricant, a size that does not fit, or a packet
that has been in a wallet for a year. Almost none of them are the condom’s fault.
What matters in the moment is different from what matters afterwards. In the moment it is
contraception; afterwards it is testing. The pages below are grouped that way.
Why condoms break
Leaks that are not breaks
What to do when it happens
Storage and expiry
The one rule that prevents most of this: a condom that has been in a wallet, a car
glovebox or a bathroom for months is not a reliable condom. Friction, heat and time all degrade latex.
Carry one, but replace it.
Sizing and fit are covered separately in condom sizes,
and effectiveness in condom effectiveness.
Checking a Condom Before Use
Checking a Condom Before Use: Expiry, Packet Squeeze, and Tear Risk